Pastime Baseball League
PBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Game Four Recap
Memphis Strummers (106-56) vs Wichita Brigade (108-54)
MEMPHIS -- Wichita's Jay Hughes gave up 17 unearned runs this year, the most of any Wichita starter. So when he faced a crucial error in Game 4 of the PBL Championship Series, he needed to attempt to battle through it - something he conceded he hasn't done well this year.
Tim Lincecum, coming off a tremendous complete-game shutout performance to close out the Southern League Championship Series, would take the hill for Memphis.
Lincecum walked Sammy Strang to lead off the game, getting Robinson Cano to ground out as the next batter. Strang would try to steal third but be gunned down by Deacon White, a move that would prove big for Memphis when four pitches later Oyster Burns homered to put Wichita up 1-0.
Memphis answered right away though. Ichiro Suzuki singled and went to second when White walked. Both runners moved up when Oscar Charleston grounded into a force. But after Cap Anson struck out, Ichiro scored on Ryan Braun's single to tie it up. Charleston moved to third, and Braun would steal second. But Josh Willingham grounded out to end the threat.
The pitchers' duel was on. Cap Anson's leadoff double in the 4th would see him stranded, and the teams would go the 5th knotted at 1.
Lincecum retired Wichita, and Memphis would take another crack at Hughes. Bobby Wallace would walk to lead off the inning, then steal second with Lincecum at the plate. However, Lincecum couldn't get a bunt down to move Wallace up, striking out. Fired up, Hughes would get ahead of Ichiro 0-2 before inducing a grounder to second. But Sammy Strang muffed it, allowing Wallace to score from second to make it 2-1 Memphis.
Deacon White would follow that with a double that would bring home Ichiro, making it 3-1 and adding a second unearned run - something Hughes, as was mentioned, faced far too often this season.
Wichita's knack for quick response continued here, at Jimmy Sheckard homered off Lincecum in the 6th to cut Memphis' lead to 3-2.
Memphis would return the favor in the bottom of the 6th, scoring on a Bobby Wallace single that drove in Cupid Childs to make it 4-2.
Lincecum retired the Brigade in order in the 7th, as Hughes did to Memphis.
George Sherrill and Mike MacDougal would combine to hold Wichita scoreless in the 8th, while Hughes would escape singles to the first two batters in the 8th to retire the next three and get out of the inning.
Wichita would get its last crack at Memphis, and surprisingly Dick McBride would not come in. MacDougal stayed in to start the 9th, and would promptly allow singles to Spotswood Poles and pinch hitter Hideki Matsui, putting runners at first and third with nobody out.
McBride would then get the call. Ollie Beard grounded into a force to bring Poles in and narrow the score to 4-3. Frank Chance would come in to pinch hit for Hughes.
On the 7th pitch of the at bat, Chance hammered a grounder that Cupid Childs picked cleanly, setting off a 4-6-3 double play to end it, evening the series again in what many felt was a must-win for Memphis with Rube Waddell taking the mound for Wichita in Game 5.
Memphis 4, Wichita 3 (series tied 2-2).